Iran is taking action against Google (News - Alert) after the company made a significant change on Google Maps. The U.S.-based firm has dropped the name of the Persian Gulf from the service.

The stretch of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula has been left nameless on Google Maps. That decision has not been welcomed by Iran.

The country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has warned Google that it will face “serious damages” if it does not take measures to restore the name of the Persian Gulf to the mapping service. The spokesman revealed on Thursday that Tehran officials have warned Google of possible legal action if it does not comply with the country’s demands.

The naming of the body of water has caused a number of tensions in the region. Some Arab states insist that the body is called the Arabian Gulf, according to the Associated Press (News - Alert), causing some animosity between Iranians and Arabs.

Iran has a tempestuous relationship with the wider Internet. The country was reported to be in the process of blocking access to the Internet within the country in favor of a local Intranet for citizens. The report, which officials in the country later claimed was a hoax, suggested that the country would cut off access to services such as Google’s Gmail and Hotmail before halting access to the wider Internet.

In April, the country’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology was reportedly looking for assistance in its efforts to “purify” the Internet. It was apparently searching for domestic partners to help it come up with ideas and pilot projects in order to clean up Iran’s networks from "immoral sites" that have the potential to cause "major cultural and societal problems."